Lois Grothe

NIOBRARA — Mass of Christian Burial for Lois Grothe, 75, Niobrara, will be 10:30 a.m., July 30, at St. Williams Catholic Church, Niobrara. Rev. Kizito Okhuoya will be Celebrant, with burial In L’Eau Qui Court Cemetery, Niobrara.

Visitation will be Thursday, from 4-7 p.m., at Brockhaus Funeral Home, Niobrara, with a 7 p.m. Wake Service.

Lois Marie (Pinkelman) Grothe, Niobrara, and Littleton, Colo., died July 23, 2021, from a stroke.

Lois was born Oct. 7, 1945, in Wynot, to Frank and Bernice (Suing) Pinkelman. In 1957, the family moved to a ranch near Niobrara. Lois married Lee Grothe four years. After they moved back to South Sioux City, they had two sons, Jason and John. In 2004, once both Lois and Lee were ready to retire, they moved back to the family ranch near Niobrara. During the past few years, they spent half the year in Niobrara, and the rest in Littleton, Colo., near their son and their granddaughters.

Lois worked for many years as a secretary for a television station in Sioux City, Iowa, but she was also instrumental to Lee’s work with the dental industry and the family’s ranch operation — tasks she continued to do well past retirement. In addition, Lois performed organizing work with both a regional and national Quiz Bowl competition, and she volunteered with the South Sioux City library. She kept an immaculate, welcoming home and enjoyed tending her flowers.

Lois will be remembered as a gracious, generous and giving person, who genuinely respected and loved the people around her. While being a quiet, unassuming and unpretentious person, people responded to her honesty, her integrity and her welcoming nature. Lois had seemingly limitless patience, and always seemed to have time for everyone, but she wanted nothing more than to be helpful in any way she could. Her impact on those she loved and who loved her back can’t be measured.

She is survived by her husband, Leon; sons, Jason (Donny), Olathe, Kan., and John (Jennifer), Littleton, Colo.; granddaughters, Natalie and Nora; and siblings, Galen (Dee), Norfolk; Dave (Deb), Niobrara; Chuck (Bonnie), Yankton, S.D.; Fran (Linda), Hoskins; Joe, Niobrara; Marie (Larry) Ringstad, Omaha; and Tom, Valentine.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Bernice Pinkelman, Niobrara; and her sister, Anne (Fred) Sternberg, Niobrara.